Can your dog benefit from CBD supplementation?

The short answer: yes!

Dogs, along with all other mammals, have an endocannabinoid system (ECS). Just like the human endocannabinoid system, your dog’s ECS regulates major physiological functions including pain, anxiety, mood, immune function, and more. Above all else, the role of the ECS is to restore and maintain homeostasis – the body’s ideal state of balance. 

CBD and the Endocannabinoid System

CBD does not act directly upon the endocannabinoid system, rather it influences the amount of endocannabinoids that are active in our bodies at any given time. Endocannabinoids are cannabinoids produced by our own bodies. They fit like a lock and key into ECS receptors which are located everywhere from the central nervous system, to the GI tract, to the skin.

Once they lock in, they activate the system so it can bring you back to balance. There are just a couple of problems:

1. Endocannabinoids degrade quickly; they aren’t able to stay active in our systems for very long.
2. Since the eradication of hemp in the 1930’s, neither animals nor humans get enough phytocannabinoids to supplement the ECS. Without proper support from supplemental cannabinoids the ECS can’t work to its fullest potential.

Enter CBD!

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid. Non-intoxicating means it won’t get you (or your pet) high like THC. Phytocannabinoid means a cannabinoid that comes from a plant, as opposed to endocannabinoids which are produced by our own bodies.

CBD fortifies the endocannabinoid system and provides proper supplementation to make up for the lack of phytocannabinoids in our ecosystem.

How much CBD should you give your dog?

Finding the right dose for your dog may take some experimenting, but the best advice we can give is to start low and go slow. Dogs, cats, and humans all metabolize cannabinoids differently, but the general concepts remain the same:

• Start with a low dose, administered consistently for about 5 days. If you feel like it’s not doing the trick, start to increase the dosage and monitor for any change.
  • Continue this process until you find your dog’s ideal dose.
• Pain and inflammation usually respond better to a higher dose.
• Anxiety can be addressed with a somewhat smaller dose, but this seems to be where a lot of the variability comes into play.
  • We have had customers with german shepherds get fantastic results with a single 4mg Zen Dog treat, but we’ve also seen shih tzus that need 2 of those treats for the same result!
• CBD is non-toxic meaning there is no risk of overdose. Signs that your dog might have had too much CBD include them getting super sleepy and, more rarely, an upset stomach.

What benefits can you expect from giving your dog CBD?

As mentioned above, CBD can help relieve inflammation and support a calmer disposition for your dog. That’s not all CBD can do, though. Epilepsy is another major reason pet owners turn to CBD. Seizures are fairly common in dogs and CBD provides a natural, nontoxic way to manage the convulsions. Aside from regulating immune function and reducing inflammation, which could be the root cause of the epilepsy, CBD is actually an anticonvuslive and antispasmodic.

“What if my dog is healthy? Should I still give them CBD?”

Yes. Just like healthy humans should be taking CBD to stay healthy, healthy dogs should do the same.

Why? Because an imbalanced, weak endocannabinoid system leads to problems down the road. A well-conditioned, balanced endocannabinoid system keeps immune function strong, staves off infection, keeps anxiety low and feelings of wellbeing high, keeps sleep on track and even regulates blood sugar and strengthens bones!

If you’re giving your dog CBD as a preventitive, proactive measure then just a small daily dose hovering around 2-4mg (depending on the size of your dog) will do the trick.

The best ways to give your dog CBD

Treats are usually the easiest way to get CBD into your doggy’s system, but there are other approaches that may work better depending on the needs of your particular pooch.

CBD Dog Treats

Treats are great because they are super easy to administer. If your dog likes treats, they probably won’t have any issue taking their CBD. The primary issue that can be encountered, especially with older dogs, is the inability to chew on hard treats. In those cases, soft chew treats might be a better option.

The other thing to keep in mind with treats is that the bioavailability might not be as high. Just like when we consume edibles vs. a tincture, there will be a drop off in onset time and active CBD that makes it into the bloodstream. This is due to the fact that treats (or edibles) need to travel through the digestive system.

CBD Oils

Oils can be a more versatile solution, especially when it comes to topical applications. If your dog has ever had a “hot spot” you know how much those skin irritations can, well, irritate your dog! Applying CBD oil on the affected area can reduce localized inflammation while providing antibacterial, soothing power.

My favorite way to dose my dogs is actually by rubbing oil in their ears! You know how holding oil from a tincture under our tongues for up to 60 seconds helps us absorb the CBD more effectively? That’s because we have a whole lot of capillaries under our tongues that allow for more direct absorption into the bloodstream and less CBD being lost to first pass metabolism.

Well, dogs’ ears have a bunch of capillaries in them and my guess is they won’t agree to hold anything under their tongues, so ears it is! Simply drop some oil onto the pads of your fingers and then rub that oil in your dogs ears. Do *not* squirt oil directly into your dog’s ear or rub deeply into their ear canal.

I love this method because a good ol ear rub is always welcome, at least for my pups, and the sensation alone starts to calm them down immediately. You don’t have to worry about fighting to get it into their mouths or be concerned with them being turned off by the taste. No muss no fuss, and it is a more efficient, effective delivery method to make sure your dog is getting the most from every dose!